Fitbit Recalls More Than 1 Million Wristbands Over Allergic Reactions

Yikes! One of the season’s hottest holiday gifts – the Fitbit Force wireless activity tracking wristband – is the subject of a MASSIVE recall after thousands of people experienced skin irritation and allergic reactions from the wristband.

Last month, Fitbit issued a voluntary recall of the product, stating that “a small percentage” of users suffered skin irritation from prolonged use (note, consumers were encouraged to wear the wristband as much as possible while awake).

On Wednesday, the government has stepped in to issue an official recall through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), shedding more light on the scale of the problem.

A “small percentage” was actually close to 10,000 people, including 250 who experienced an irritation severe enough to cause blistering. As a result, more than 1 million products (and 28,000 more in Canada) have been recalled.

The wristbands were sold at AT&T, Apple Stores, Best Buy, Brookstone, Dick’s Sporting Goods,
Radio Shack, REI, Sports Authority, Target and other stores nationwide,
and online at Amaz on.com and Fitbit.com from October 2013 to February
2014 for about $130.

Consumers can contact Fitbit, toll-free at (888) 656-6381 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET daily or online at www.fitbit.com and click on Recall/Safety Info for a full refund.

If you have a Fitbit Force, don’t delay in taking action. CPSC communications director Scott Wolfson told Engadget that it’s rare for companies to provide full refund for a recalled product.